“These (Shakespeare, Milton, and Victor Hugo) not only knit and knot the logical texture of the style with all the dexterity and strength of prose; they not only fill up the pattern of the verse with infinite variety and sober wit; but they give us, besides, a rare and special pleasure, by the art, comparable to that of counterpoint, with which they follow at the same time, and now contrast, and now combine, the double pattern of the texture and the verse.  Here the sounding line concludes; a little further on, the well-knit sentence; and yet a little further, and both will reach their solution on the same ringing syllable.  The best that can be offered by the best writer of prose is to show us the development of the idea and the stylistic pattern proceed hand in hand, sometimes by an obvious and triumphant effort, sometimes with a great air of ease and nature.  The writer of verse, by virtue of conquering another difficulty, delights us with a new series of triumphs.  He follows three purposes where his rival followed only two; and the change is of precisely the same nature as that from melody to harmony.-ON SOME TECHNICAL ELEMENTS OF STYLE IN LITERATURE”

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About Robert Louis Stevenson

Scottish novelist, essayist, poet, and travel writer

Robert Louis Stevenson was a Scottish novelist, essayist, poet, and travel writer. He is remembered for fiction that includes Treasure Island, Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, and Kidnapped. His work also includes the poetry collection A Child's Garden of Verses. He wrote across several forms, but is most closely associated with adventure stories, moral darkness, and verse for children.

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Books by Robert Louis Stevenson

Treasure Island

1910

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The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

1875

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The black arrow

1888

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Kidnapped

2002

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David Balfour

1892

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